On middling US jobs data

World stock markets rose Friday as analysts said middling US jobs figures hit a sweet spot -- showing a healthy US economy but not supporting an interest rate rise soon.

European markets soared while Wall Street shares registered more modest gains after the highly anticipated official US jobs creation data showed the labor market had slowed in August, with 151,000 jobs created. 

Though below analyst expectations, the data did show that hiring remained solid, and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.9 percent for the third month in a row.

A week ago US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen had told global central bankers that the case for a rate increase had "strengthened" in recent months but gave no clear timeline.

"The employment data today suggests there's no rate hike in September as job creation is weaker than expected," Peter Cardillo of First Standard Financial told AFP.

"This is typical of pre-holiday trading before a long weekend," he added. "I suspect next week is when we can really see some reaction post-labor report."

Unicredit's Harm Bandholz said he now expected the Fed to act in December.

"As the August numbers have tended to come in on the softer side in the past, we think that this mostly reflects seasonal adjustment problems rather than underlying weakness," he said in a note.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite all finished up 0.4 percent.

Paris' CAC jumped 2.3 percent, followed by a 2.2 percent increase in London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, with the DAX in Frankfurt closing up 1.4 percent.

- Exploding batteries hit Samsung -

In corporate news, Samsung said it would suspend sales of its latest flagship smartphone Galaxy Note 7 as reports of exploding batteries threatened to damage the reputation of the South Korean electronics giant. 

Samsung -- the world's top maker of smartphones and ordinary mobile telephones -- will also offer new devices for those who have already bought the large-screen smartphone, its mobile chief said. 

Ireland's government agreed Friday to pursue an appeal against the EU's tax ruling on Apple but said it was recalling parliament early for a special session to debate the issue.

Earlier in the week the European Commission ruled that Apple owes 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion), plus interest, in back taxes, putting Ireland at the center of a row between Europe and the United States.

Oil futures rebounded following remarks from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said he believed Russia and other producing nations should freeze output to stabilize long-suffering oil prices.

In New York, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate for October delivery rose $1.28 to close at $44.44.

North Sea Brent, also for October delivery, gained $1.38, settling at $46.83 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange in London.

- Key figures around 2100 GMT -

New York - DOW: UP 0.4 percent at 18,491.96 (close)

New York - S&P 500: UP 0.4 percent at 2,179.98 (close)

New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 5,249.90 (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 2.2 percent at 6,894.60 points (close)

Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 1.4 percent at 10,683.82 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: UP 2.3 percent at 4,542.17 (close) 

EURO STOXX 50: UP 2 percent at 3,079.74 (close) 

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 points at 16,925.68 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,067.35 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.5 percent at 23266.70 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1156 from $1.1199 late Thursday

Dollar/yen: UP at 103.99 yen from 103.23 yen

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3294 from $1.3270

Source: AFP